Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1182 Motion Picture News St. Louis Exchange and Trade Activities «t TACK" UNDERWOOD, manager of the «J St. Louis Enterprise office, is celebrating his seventh anniversary as a member of the Enterprise organization. Prior to coming to St. Louis, " Jack " was with Enterprise at Dallas, Texas. He has won a way into the heart of everyone who has become acquainted with him in the St. Louis district and is among the most popular exchange men in this territory. In honor of his anniversary, he landed a first run for " The World's a Stage," landing it in Fred Cornwell's Delmonte theatre the week of March 18. The second joint luncheon meeting of the St. Louis Film Board of Trade and the newly formed St. Louis Film Salesmen Club was held Saturday afternoon, February 24, in the film board headquarters, 3308A Olive street. The object of these gatherings is for the mutual tonfeideration of the problems that confront the salesmen in their rounds, and for the improvement of the standards of film salesmanship. The officers of *he film salesmen club are : Tom McKean, F. B. O., president ; Bob Werth, Metro, vice-president; Lester Bona, First National, secretary, and the following executive board : U. M. Dailey, W. W. Hodkinson, Lew Bfent, Educational; Bob Werth, Claud McKean, Fox ; W. F. DeFrenne and Jack McBride, Paramount. S. J. Hankin, who, several months ago, disposed of his interest in the Fine Arts Picture Corporation, of which he was president-manager, has returned to St. Louis and is considering opening an independent exchange here. He is not ready to announce his plans. S. T. Marks, of Vitagraph's Chicago staff, spent the week-end here as the guest of relatives. Arkansas exhibitors are wondering whether the Governor will sign the blue law measure now before the State Senate should it pass both houses. It would prohibit Sunday shows, golf, tennis, baseball, football, fishing and other sports, and an amendment offered would also include Sunday newspapers, railway trains, automobile driving and church collections. Recently a bill to permit Sunday baseball was killed. The new blue law bill was then sent in by proponents of Sunday baseball. The capital of the Missouri Theatre Company, St. Louis, has been increased from $400,000 to $1,200,000. The company recently let contracts for the erection of a fourteen-story office building adjoining the theatre. The Franklin Amusement Company, which operates the Palace and Majestic theatres, has been incorporated for $60,000, half paid up. The incorporators and their holdings' are : Sam Konn, Ben Shaf rin, 99 shares each ; Hyman Komm, 100 shares, and Sam Lewis and David Barron, 1 share each. The Majestic theatre, LePanto, Ark., has been taken over by E. B. Martin, who changed the name to Princess theatre. He plans to reopen about February 26. He formerly owned the Empress theatre, Hayti, Mo. John Karzin, owner of the Casino, Olympia and Lincoln theatres, St. Louis', is around again after being confined to his bed for a week by a bad attack of la grippe. William Goldman, who plans to build a new house on Grand Boulevard, is convalescing from a severe cold. The American theatre, Johnston City, 111., recently destroyed by fire, will be rebuilt immediately, Bob Cluster, owner-manager, has announced. Cluster has two other houses' in Johnston City-, so the town won't be without pictures. The Exhibitors' League of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri will fight strenuously against any attempt to foster daylight saving on St. Louis. The Board of Governors of the Riverview Club last week sent a resolution to the Board of Aldermen advocating the passage of a daylight saving ordinance. The club governors think such a bill would popularize its new golf course, etc. Patrolman Carl Cowell surprised two burglars attempting to rob the safe of the Juniata theatre, 3147 South Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, February 21. The officer noted a machine parked in front of the house. As he approached the two intruders fled from the theatre and escaped, in the machine. The front door had been jimmied and a side exit opened. The theatre safe is kept in the lobby. It is believed the burglars intended to carry the safe away. Phil Cohen and James Drake plan to open a new theatre in Alton, 111., very shortly. Harry Niemeyer, late exploiteer for the St. Louis Paramount office, has been appointed director of publicity and advertising for the Delmonte theatre, owned by Fred L. Cornwell. Edward Wasgien, owner of the Degraw theatre, Brookfield, Mo., passed through St. Louis on his way back from a visit to Quincy. Omalia Brevities and Nebraska News Items MORRIS ABRAMS is working out of the local Metro offices as exploitation man between Omaha and Minneapolis. He came here from Minneapolis and is not a stranger in this territory. Mr. Abrams stated that he observes an appreciable improvement in business conditions in the Middle West. Charles R. Gilmore, special representative of Fox Film Corporation, is doing some highpowered work in Nebraska. He expects to be here about one month. N. H. Friend, representing Distinctive Pictures Corporation, New York, was here this week, en route to the Pacific Coast. He visited the local United Artists exchange and was particularly interested in the picture, "The Man Who Played God." S. Vorzimer has resigned as Omaha manager of United Artists. T. Y. Henry, assistant sales manager, temporarily in charge, stated that a new manager will be announced in about a week. Fred Solomon has been promoted from the position of booker at the Omaha Pathe exchange to assistant manager in the Pittsburgh office. He will be succeeded here by Walter Branson, effective March 1. M. E. Maxwell, special representative for Cosmopolitan Pictures Corporation, was here in the interest of " When Knighthood Was in Flower," which was booked for ten days at the Rialto theatre. F. M. Brockell, general supervisor of distribution for Associated First National Pictures, visited the Omaha exchange on his way to Denver. During his brief visit in Omaha B. B. Perkins, formerly of the Chicago offices of Metro, was congratulated on account of his fine promotion to position of national exploitation manager for his company. He has many friends in the Omaha territory. Harry Heyman, branch manager for Fox Film Corporation, is clearing his decks for " If Winter Comes." Father Markoe, head of St. Francis Mission at St. Francis, S. D., journeyed to Omaha to contract for the complete series of educational pictures of the Fox Film Corporation. Most of the attendants at his institution are Indian children. Harry Keller has joined the sales staff of F. B. O. During the last year he operated a theatre at Watertown, S. D. The opera house at Fremont, Neb., has been opened for motion pictures by Louis Bloom, under the name of Majestic theatre. It is announced that A. H. Blank, of Des Moines and Omaha, will build a new theatre in Red Oak, Iowa. T. K. Kempes, who operates the Majestic theatre at Fairbury, Neb., has purchased the Rex theatre of that city from E. C. Hanson. The new motion picture theatre at McCook, Neb., will be opened May 1. It will be a substantial structure. A new motion picture is in prospect for Grand Island, Neb., under the management of S. A. Hayman. It is stated that the seating capacity will be 1,000. A costly organ will be a feature. Alexander Frank, manager of the Rialto theatre, Waterloo, Iowa, gave his women patrons souvenirs during the showing of " What's Wrong with the Women ? " J. W. Hoffman has leased the new theatre being erected by Thomas J. McLaughlin at Havelock, Neb. Mr. Hoffman purchased his equipment from the Western Theatre Supply Company, Omaha. Mil waukee Branch-Office and Trade It ems THE Motion Picture Theatre Owners' association of Milwaukee is heading a movement for the formation of a Standard Time league to wage a campaign for the repeal of the daylight saving ordinance, which is claimed to work to the detriment of moving picture nouses and other lines depending upon evening patronage. Petitions will be placed in the lobbies of theatres, asking for a repeal of the ordinance. Things have been rapidly moving around the Famous Players-Lasky office here the past week or two. G. A. Durlam, branch manager, has been promoted to special home office representative covering the entire United States, and will leave Milwaukee shortly. N. F. Ag new, former Paramount sales manager at Chicago, has been made manager of the Milwaukee branch and is now in charge. T. B. McConnell, former sales representative at Indianapolis, has been transferred to the Milwaukee exchange. Charles Collins, Kenosha; Nate Blumberg, Racine; R. K. Mosinau, Oshkosh and Al Pickert, Tronwood, Mich., are among the exhibitors who have been seen around Paramount offices recently. A special reel of film, The Making, of The Journal, is showing in connection with the Vitagraph release, A Front-Page Story, at the Rialto. The film, which is being presented un der the auspices of The Journal, was shot in the editorial rooms, business office, art department, composing room, press room and other major sections of Wisconsin's largest newspaper, showing how a real metropolitan daily is produced. Motion pictures showing the planting, de-j velopment, and refining processes of sugar were shown at a meeting of the Milwaukee Retail Grocers' association recently as part of a campaign to "know what you are selling." Eugene O'Brien, noted film star, has beenc invited to speak at the celebration commemorating the eighteenth anniversary of the founding of the Rotary club of Milwaukee.